Kukla's Korner Hockey

There are clauses in standard players’ contracts for conduct unbecoming to a team that theoretically could void a contract, although the Oilers weren’t talking about that on Friday. They certainly weren’t happy with Khabibulin’s behaviour after he was pulled over in his black Ferrari on Feb. 8 in Paradise Valley, a Scottsdale suburb. He faces jail time, possibly a fine and alcohol-related rehabilitation classes.

“You definitely shouldn’t drink and drive ... at the end of the day, what excuse is there?” said a high-powered NHL agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“But this isn’t a heinous crime. It’s not like he shot his neighbour and he’s being charged with murder.”

The agent doesn’t believe a team would challenge the conduct clause over impaired driving. If a team did that, the NHL Players’ Association would likely file a grievance.

“You don’t want to be in a situation where you challenge the validity of a contract and you go to arbitration and the team loses. Then they get the player back who, say, has a no-trade clause and is completely unmoveable. You get a player back who plays goal. How motivated do you think he’ll be?” said the agent.

Comments

“But this isn’t a heinous crime. It’s not like he shot his neighbour and he’s being charged with murder.”

Last I checked, intent mattered more than outcome in the legal system. Dante Stallworth killed someone in his Bentley last year doing the exact same thing. Just because no one died doesn’t make this less serious.

And Canadian readers - isn’t drunk driving a felony up there that can affect a foreigner’s ability to cross the border?